While sitting in church one day, I heard “insanity” defined as people who do the same thing expecting a different result. With that in mind – and in the pursuit of freeing myself from certain crazy cycles – I decided to head into my 34th year with a renewed mind and expanded vision. The week before my birthday I received information on spiritual laws and the importance of applying them to my life.

Some of them are like the “four spiritual laws” I have been familiar with since childhood, but others, like Deepak Chopra’s seven spiritual laws of success, I am still learning about. Are you ready to learn more about spiritual laws? Read on to discover the many benefits of spiritual laws and how they can change your life for the better.

The Four Spiritual LawsIf you are of a Christian faith, whether you realize it or not, you have been familiar with the four spiritual laws since joining the faith. The author of the Four Spiritual Laws is the late Bill Bright, the founder of the Campus Crusade for Christ. In 1965, he wrote a short, user-friendly booklet on Christianity as it related to salvation. The four principles are as follows:

* God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.

* All of us are sinful and separated from God. Therefore we cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for our life.

* Jesus Christ is the only provision for our sin. Through him we can know and experience God’s plan and love for our life.

* We must individually accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s plan for our life.

For the Christ-follower, the beauty in these spiritual laws is no matter what the situation, the obstacle or the challenge, there is a security in believing that God is in control. Initially, hard times in life may seem bleak, but faith gives a newfound sense of peace and assurance.

The Seven Spiritual Laws of SuccessWhat if you are looking for other guidelines to apply to your life that will give you a greater sense of purpose and provision? This is when you might consider the teachings of Dr. Deepak Chopra, bestselling author, instructor and co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, Calif. In 1994 he wrote The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams. His spiritual laws are as follows:

The Law of Pure PotentialityThis law informs us that we are, in our essential state, pure consciousness. According to Chopra, pure consciousness is the basis of pure potential. This field of energy can be accessed through silence, meditation and non-judgment, or through nature.

The Law of GivingAt one time or another, most of us have heard that it is more blessed to give than to receive. This law says the flow of life is nothing other than the “harmonious interaction of all the elements and forces that structure the field of existence.” Giving is what keeps everything circulating; it’s what keeps life in motion. Therefore, the more you give, the more will come back to you, creating a circle of provision for your life.

The Law of Karma (or Cause and Effect)You have likely heard the old adage “What goes around comes around.” This is the simplified explanation for karma. Applying the spiritual law of karma to your life basically means that you understand for every action there is a reaction or consequence.

The Law of Least EffortThis law encourages you to do all you do with love as your motivation. The world is full of different forms of energy – good, bad and indifferent – but according to this law, when you are full of love, your positive energy multiplies, and you enter the life principle of “do less and accomplish more.” There are three components to making this spiritual law a successful one: acceptance, responsibility and defenselessness.

The Law of Intention and DesireEnergy and information exist everywhere in nature. According to this theory, the only difference between you and a tree is your informational and energy content. Based on the energy that you put behind your desire, you are able to change your circumstances, environment and ultimately the world.

The Law of DetachmentThis spiritual law states that in order to acquire anything in the universe, you have to relinquish your attachment to it; not the intention of your desire per say, but your attachment to the ultimate result. When you free yourself from the fear of not having – of uncertainty – you can gain access to just about anything you want. You have the freedom to truly create what you want when you “want” with as little effort as possible.

The Law of “Dharma” Dharma is a Sanskrit word that means "purpose in life." This law tells us that we have taken manifestation in physical form to fulfill a purpose. This purpose is individual to each of us, since we must use our uniqueness to accomplish it. There is something that only you can do better than anyone else in this world and “expressing your talents to fulfill needs creates unlimited wealth and abundance.”

There are three components to Dharma. The first says that each of us is here to discover our true inner self. The second tells us that by expressing our unique talents, we enter into something known as “timeless awareness.” The third component is our service to humanity. When you combine your unique talent with your service to humanity, the “Law of Dharma” is truly in effect.

How to Apply the Seven Spiritual Laws These are principles you can comfortably apply to your life, regardless of doctrine or personal conviction. As for me, I am a 34-year-old woman who still has a ton of things on her personal wish list. I found great comfort and miraculous power in understanding that I bring something to this world through my gifts and service to others. By “doing” out of love, I can alter the outcome of my circumstances.

And, as a Christian woman who is always growing and evolving, I am blessed to receive information that does not contradict my faith, but in many ways, confirms it. Romans 13:8 states, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” That sounds a lot like the Law of Least Effort to me. Since being introduced to this spiritual law and expanding my mind to listen to other methods of teaching, it has only furthered my mission to better myself: mind, body and spirit.

Are you living your life to the fullest?James Dean once said, "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." Do you take time to pursue your passions or are you a slave to the daily grind? Find out if you need a new lease on life with this quiz.